Feeder-actuating mechanism for weft-replenishing looms.



FEEDER ACTUATING MECHANISIVI FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS. APPLICATION FILEP APILZZ. 1915.

1 ,29 1 1 0 1 Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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`I-I. A. OWEN.

FEEDER AunlNG MECHANlsI/i EUR WEET REELEIIISHIIIG Loon/Is.

APPLICATION FILI-ID APR. 22, I9I5.

I. HQI II I U dIIL 0 Eatented Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PA'IElSllV OFFICE.

Tiener A. owen, or WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, Assioivon, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To Daarna CORPORATION, or Herrmann, MASSACHUSETTS, n Couronn- TION' OF MAINE.

rnnnnn-nCTUATING MECHANTSM ron WEET-REPLENISHING Looms.

itllhldl.

To all whom @may concern:

Be it known that li, `HENRY A. GWEN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing `at Whitinsville, in the county of W'orcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Eeeden actuating Mechanism' for VVeft-lteplenislr ing Looms, of which the following is a specil'ication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has relation to weft-replenishing looms of the bobbin-changing class.,

More particularly, it has relation to the mechanisms or devices that are employed in such looms for actuating the feeders thereof to present reserve filled A,bobbins or other loaded weft-carriers successively in position in readiness for transfer to the shuttle `which is to be kept charged with weft or filling and in Working condition. t

l eliminate the devices and connections heretofore customarily employed in practice for actuating a feeder from or under control of the transferrer, and provide,` instead, a train of actuating connections comprising -a dog which engages the ratchet of the feeder, a cam on a rotating shaft of the loom, operating t0 move the dogto its startingposition independently of the transferrer, and means for operating the said dog to actuatethe feeder to present the leading bobbin or other weft-carrier against the end-stop and hold it pressed against the said end-stop until the transfer of such bobbin` or weft-carrier. The invention includes, more specifically, novel features of construction embodied in the actuating devices of the dog. Also, means for manually controlling `the dog. Also, improved means for disengaging the dog and also the detent from the ratchet of the feeder so as `to leave the latter free to be shifted backward and forward by the weaver.

illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, which represent in Figure 1, in side elevation, certain portions of a bobbin-changing weft-replenishing loom with one ofthe said embodiments combined therewith. Fig. 2 is aside elevation showing a different embodiment of the features of the invention. p

Referring to certain of `the usual parts of a bobbin-changing -weft-replenishing -loom, so far as the same areshown in the drawings, such "partsycomprise the loom- Speccation of Letters Taten@ Application led Apri122y1915. Serial No. 23,05. l

frame 1, the cam-shaft 2, the lay-beam 3, the lay-sword4, and a shuttle 5, the latter being represented as` occupying the shuttle box at the replenishing side of the loom and confined between the frontplate 6 of" the said shuttle-box and the binder 7 ofthe latter. Referring more particularly to the replenishing mechanism, 8 is the stand vat the inner end of the feeder, 9 is the Studprofjecting outward from said stand and on which the rotary parts of the feeder are lsleeved, 10 is the notched disk atthe inner end of the feeder which supports the heads of the bobbins or other weft-carriers m, a', 11 being the ratchet-Wheel of the feeder, and 12 the detent or holdingpawl pivoted at 13 upon a fixed support and normally swinging into engagement with the teethof the said ratchet-wheel- 14 `is the transferrer, 15 the fixed stud on which the transferrer is mounted pivotally, and 16 the` latch or dog of the transferrer. 17 is theA bunter carried by the lay and which serves in the forward movement of thela'y to engage with the said latch or dogl when the latter, is upraised through the action of the weftde tecting devices of the loom, so that the said bunter may transmit movement through the llatch or dog to the transferrer, t0 actuate the transferrer to feed the leading bobbin or other weft-Carrier ai from its position against the end-stop 18 into the Shuttle 5, the latter being momentarily beneath the transferrer in position to receive the bobbin or other aveft-carrier driven down` from `the feeder by the action of the transferrerl Referring now more particularly to the parts which are involved in the present invention, and first to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the actuating dog for the feeder is shown at a, its upper end being arranged to engage with the teeth of the ratchetwheel 11, and its lower end beingconnected by a pivot Z) with an actuating` member, which herein is a lever c, the latter being vfulcrumed at c upon a support inconnec- ,trparm al `which is connected pivotally to it at cZ, the saidtrip-arin being adapted to be engaged by the tappet or cam e fixed upon and rotating with the cani-shaft 2. The tappe't or cam and trip-arm aie arranged to cooperate so that through the engagement of lthe tappet or cam with the trip-arm the lever c and dog a are actuated to retract the dog to the starting positionof the latter, there- Y by pulling it back a distance of one, two or more teeth ofthe vratcliet-wlieel l1, as may f be provided for, the return movement of the lever c which follows the said action of the `cam'being occasioned with yielding force so as to cause the dog t0 turn the feeder and bring the neXt succeeding bobbin or weftearrier yieldingly against the end-stop 1S, and keep it pressed yieldingly against the latter. Such return movement is eifected in sides of theJ fulcrum c of the latter. stop arrangements may be substituted.

the construction herein shown by means of the contracting spiral spring f, which latter is engaged with the lever c. Other means `of applying yielding force may be employed in practice. The dog a is represented as drawn toward the ratchet 1l by means of a contracting spiral spring a so as'to keep its engaging end in contact with the teeth of the said ratchet-avheel, although ordinarily this spring may be omitted and the weight of the dog itself be depended upon to hold the acting end of the dog in engagement with the. ratchet. The extent of the swinging movement of the lever c in opposite directions is fixed by means of stops c2, c, in y conne-ctionwith the pivotal mounting of the lever c, such stops being disposed for engagement with the said lever at opposite Other EA characteristic feature of the trip-arm fl is the fact that it is mounted pivotally upon the actuating member or lever c by means of the pivot cl, so as to be capable of move` ment relative to the said member or lever c around the said pivot. It also is furnished with an extension cl2 at one side of the pivot A (Z, such extension acting as a weight to overbalance the trip-arm and cause the latter; to swing until the lextremity of the said eXtension (l2 rests against the lever as in the drawings, whereupon the said extension acts as a stopto limit the extent of such swinging movement This is the normal position of 'the triparm relative to the lever c, trip-arm. l is notched .for engagement with Y The the acting portion of the tappet or cam e.

" So long as the lever@ and dog loccupy their starting position, as shown, thetrip-arm is Consequently the to unnecessary movements of the dog is avoided. lVhen however the lever and dog are permitted to turn the feeder, the lever swings so as to place the notched end of the trip-arm in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, wherein it is reached and engaged by the end of tappet or cam e in rotating. lVhen the said portion of the said tappet or cam engages with the notched portion of the trip-arm in the rotation of the tappet or cam, the latter acts through the said trip-arm to actuate the lever so as to retract the dog a as aforesaid, placing spring f under tension, the tappet or cam remaining in engagement with the tiip-arin meanwhile, until, in consequence of the rotary movement of the tappet or cam, the triparm is swung upon its pivot fl far enough to bring the stop (Z3 of the trip-arm against the top side of the lever c. The eniect of this is to hold the trip-arm d from turning 'farther around its pivot al. Consequently, in the continued turning movement of the tappet or cam the latter becomes disengaged from the trip-arm, leaving the lever c free to transmit the tension of the spring f to the feeder so as to hold the leading bobbiii or other weft-carrier that is contained in the latter pressed against eiid-stop 1S. As soon as the trip-arm is released from the tappet or cam, it swings around its pivot d into the position shown in full lines, out of the path of tappet or cam e, where it remains so long as the dog and the actuating member remain in their starting position.

The trip-arm arrangement is not in all eases restricted to use in connection with a. continuously rotating tappet or cam.

The operation of the mechanism as thus fai' described is as follows: Then the weft replenisliing mechanism is brought into aetioii the transfei'ier 14, descends transferring the lowerinost weft carrier held by the feeder into the shuttle. As the transfeirer rises, the spring f, pulls down upon the rear end of the power-transmitting lever c, thereby lifting tlie forward end of said lever and the dog (L, thereby rotating the feeder through the ratchet l1, until the advance weft-carrier supported by the feeder comes up against the stop 18. Also, as the rear end of the transmitting lever c, is pulled down by the spring, the lower end of the trip d, is brought to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, where it is in the path of the rotating cam e. As this cam rotates it encounters the trip thereby moving upwardly the rear end of the power transmitting lever c, restoring the tension to the spring f, and lowering the dog a., which is pulled by the spring al, into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth. The lever c. is directly connected to the dog a, and is distinct and separate from the transferrer. Tt constitutes power-transmitting means bellO tween the spring f, and the dog and isitself acted upon by the cam so as to restore the dog back toward its starting position to take a fresh tooth of the ratchet thereby acting as power-transmitting means between `the cam and the dog. j

Une means of manually controlling the feeder-actuating dog consists in a foot-trea olle which is combined operatively with the lever c. In the embodiment of the invention that is shown in Fig` `1 a treadle g is thus combined with the said lever by being formed upon a branch c4 of the latter. By pressing with one foot upon the treadle g the weaver may operate thelever c to move the feeder-actuating dog to its starting position, where it may be held by a continuance of the pressure, or the foot-pressure may be relaxed to permit the spring f to operate the lever c and `dog to rotate the feeder. By depressingthe lever far enough to relieve the pressure of the engaging end of the feede1-act11ating dog against the face ofthe next tooth of `the ratchet, forward disengaging movement` of the said engaging end away from the ratchet will be facilitated, and if at` the sametime `that the weaver pulls such end. forward the holdingdog ordetent 12 also is moved out of engagement with the ratchet by taking hold of its lugor handle 12a, `the feeder will be left Uquite free and capable of being turned in either directionuntil the treadle g and holding down dog or detentv are released. Lever 0 may be provided also with an extension g adapt-ed to be pressed against by the weavers knee to operate the said lever in the same manner as has been explained with refera-ncc to treadle g, and for the same` purposes. 'lhe lever c may, if deemed advisable, be provided with a handle, proj ectingconveniently into position to be taken hold of by hand by the weaver, to manipulate lever c and dog a. By means of the treadle or other manual controlling means, the lever and feederactuating dog may be held depressed so as to preventthe said dog from rising and falling, thereby rendering it more convenient and safe for the weaver to grasp the said dog and the detent 12 and disengage them from the ratchet 11, 4as well as holding them disengaged, while he is occupied with filling vacant spaces in the feeder with reserve bobbins or other weft-carriers, and in turning the feeder backward-or forward for such purpose. i

ln the construction shown in Fig. 2a sepa-rate treadle g5 isjempjloyed, it being mounted pivotally at gG and normally held in elevated position by a spring 97. This construction provides for disengaging the two dogs from the ratchet through connections `with the treadle g5. In this construction, theactuating dog a5, mounted pivotally at a6 upon the" front arm ofthe le `ver 0,1is furnished with a tail a7, projecting engagement with such collar draws upon the wire as, and by reason of the engage ment of the said wire with the tail a7 of the dog a5 acts to draw the lever and dog downward so as to relieve the pressure of the engaging end of the dog against the face of the 'tooth with which at the moment it is engaged, and also swingthe dog forward away from the ratchet until the stop-finger a9 brings up against the underside of the lever c. In order to disengage the holding dog or detent 12 from the ratchet 11, at the same time, the said holding dog or detent 12 is furnished with a tail 12f projecting forward from its pivot 13e, and the said tail 12f is joined by a connecting wire 12g with the treadle g5. Consequently, by the depression of treadle g5, the feeder is rendered free to be turned backward or forward by the weaver. v

l claim as my invention 1. ln weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a stop, anda feeder held from advancing movement through engagement cf thc leading weftcarrier with said stop, of a dog for operating the said feeder, rotating loom-shaft, powertransmitting means directly connected with the dog and distinct from the transferrer,

and means on the said shaft operating through the rst mentioned means to move the dog bach toward starting position to take a fresh tooth, and means for operating the dog to advance the feeder when the said weft-carrier is transferred.

2. In weftreplenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a stop, and a feeder held from advancing movement through engagement of the leading weftcarrier with said stop, of a dog for operating the said feeder, a rotating loom-shaft, power transmitting means directly connected with the dog and distinct from the transferrer, and means on the said shaft operating through the first mentioned means to move the dog back toward start-ing posi-` tion to take a fresh tooth, and means for actuating the feeder through the dog with yielding force to advance the same when the said weft-carrier is transferred.

3. ln weft-ieplenisl1ing mechanism for looms, the combination with a stop, a feeder' held from advancing movement through en Ygagenient of the leading weft-carrier With to move the dog back toward starting position to take a fresh tooth, and means for operating'the dog with yielding force to advance the feeder when the said weft-carrier is transferred.

4. AL Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms having, in combination, a stop, a Weftcarrier feeder held `from advancingmovement through engagement of the leading weft-carrier with said stop, its ratchet, a dog` which engages said ratchet, a cam on a rotating loom-shaft, power-transmitting means distinct from the transferrer through which said cam acts to move the said dog back to its startingposition to take a fresh tooth, and a spring Which actuates the said dog to rotate the feeder.

5. In iveft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination kivitli a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog Which engages the said ratchet, a lever, distinct from the transferrer and its actuating connections, with which the said dog is directly combined, said lever provided With means for yieldingly actuating the same and the dog to advance the feeder, and a cam on a rotating loom-shaft directly actuating the said lever to move the dog back toward starting position.

6. In iveft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, a motion-transinitting member With which the said dog is combined operatively, a moving tappet or cani, and artrip com bined With the said member, adapted to be engaged by the cam in the advanced position of the dog to move the member and dog Vtoward startino' osition and to automatia: P a

cally release from and clear the cam When the dog is in starting position.

7. In Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet ,a motion-transmitting member With which the said dog is combined operatively,

Va cam on a rotating loom-shaft, and a trip combined with the said member, adapted to be engaged by the cam in the advanced position ofthe dog to move the member and dog l toward Vstarting position, and to automatically release from and clear the cam When the dog is in starting position.

8. In weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder yand its ratchet, of a dog vwhich engages the said ratchet, a lever With which the said dog is connected, a moving tappet or cam, a trip combined with the said lever, adapted to be engaged by the cam in the advanced position of the dog to move the lever and dog toward starting position, and to release automatically from the cam and clear the latter when the dog is in starting position, said lever provided With means for yieldingly actuating the same and the dog to advance the magazine or feeder.

9. In Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, a lever with which the said dog is connected, a cam on a rotating loom-shaft, a trip combined with the said lever, adapted to be engaged by the cam in the advanced position of the dog to move the lever and dog toward starting position, and to autolnatically release from and clear the cam when the dog is in starting position, said lever provided With means for yieldingly actuat` ing the same and the dog to advance the magazine orfeeder.

10. In Weft-replenisliing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, an' automatically operated actuating member for said dog, and means in connection with said actuating member for manually controlling the action of such member and the dog.

1l. In vveft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, an automatically operated actuating member foi` said dog, and means in connection With said actuating member for mamially preventing actuation of the feeder by the doo',

12. In a Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, an automatically operated actuating member for said dog, and means in connection with said actuating member for mamially relieving the pressure of the dog against the ratchet tooth engaged thereby and controlling the action of the actuating member and dog.

13. In a iveft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, an automatically operated actuating lever for said dog, and means in connection with said actuating lever for manually controlling the action of the same and the dog.

14;. In Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet, an automatically operated lever combined with said dog and by its movements rendering the dog effective to move the magazine or feeder, and means for manually controlling the actuation of the said lever and controlling the actuation of operated dog Which engages the said ratchet to bring the weft carriers successively to transferring position, and a treadle operam tively combined With the dog and by Which the latter is manually controlled.

17. ln Weftmeplenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a weft-carrier feeder and its ratchet, of an automatically operated dog which engages said ratchet and actuates the feeder to bring the weftcarriers successively to transferring position, and a treadle by Which the said dog may be actuated manually to advance the feeder.

18. lln Weftreplenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog Which engages the said ratchet and 'actuates the feeder, an automatically operated member combined with said dog and by its movements rendering the dog eective to move the feeder, and a treadle operatively combined With the said member and by which the actuation of the latter and in addition the actuation of the feeder by the dog are controlled.

i9. lln weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination With a feeder and its ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet and actuates the feeder. an automatically operated actuating lever for said dog, and means in connection with said actuating lever for manually relieving the pressure of the dog against the ratchet-tooth engaged thereby and controlling the action of the actuating member and dog.

20. ln Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a Weft-carrier feeder, its ratchet, and a detent for said ratchet, of an automatically operated dog which engages the said ratchet and moves the feeder to bring the weft-carriers successively to transferring position, and a manually operable member, distinct from said detent, operatively combined With the said detent and dog and by Which the detent may be disengaged from the ratchet and the dog manually controlled.

2l. lin a Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination With a weft-carrier feeder, and its ratchet, and a detent for said ratchet, of an automatically operated dog which engages the said ratchet and moves the feeder to bring the weft carriers successively to transferring position, and a treadle operatively combined with the said detent and dog and by means of which the detent may be disengaged from the ratchet and the" dog manually controlled.

22- ln weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder, and its ratchet, and a detent engaging with the said ratchet, of a dog Which engages the said ratchet and actuates the feeder, an automatically Operated member combined with said dog and by its movements rendering the dog eective to move the feeder, and a treadle operatively combined With the said member and with the said detent and by which the actuation of the said member and the actuation of the feeder by the dog are controlled and the engagement of the detent with the ratchet is controlled.

23. ln Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination With a feeder, and its ratchet, and a detent engaging With the said ratchet, of a dog which engages the said ratchet and actuates the feeder, an automati cally operated member combined With said dog and by its movements rendering the dog effective to move the feeder, and a treadle operatively combined With the said dog and detent and by which the actuation of the feeder is controlled and the detent and dog are adapted to be disengaged from the ratchet.

24. ln weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination With a feeder, and 100 its ratchet, and a detent engaging with the said ratchet, of an automatically operated dog which engages the said ratchet and actuates the feeder, and a treadle operatively combined with the said dog and detent and 105 by which the actuation of the feeder is controlled manually and the detent and dog may be disengaged from the ratchet.

25. In weft-replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination with a feeder, its 110 ratchet, and a detent engaging with the said ratchet, of an automatically operated dog Which engages the said ratchet and actuates the feeder, and a manually operable lever, distinct from said detent, operatively com- 115 bined With the said dog and detent and by which the actuation of the feeder is controlled manually and the detent and dog may be disengaged from the ratchet.

In testimony whereof ll aflix my signature 120 in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY A. UWEN.

Witnesses:

Unas. lE. RANDALL, ELLEN Srnrne.

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